The Solution to Burnout

Finding Your Rhythm: The Push-Pull Cycle in Fitness and Life

Have you ever noticed how your training follows natural ebbs and flows? There's wisdom in that rhythm—a lesson that extends far beyond the gym.

Think about your last heavy deadlift attempt. Remember that mental shift before grabbing the bar? That moment when you dial in, shut out everything else, and focus entirely on the task at hand? Then, once you complete the lift, you naturally dial it back down.

Life works the same way. We can't redline forever.

Many of us default to constant pushing—grinding ourselves into dust, wearing burnout as a badge of honour. We push until something breaks, whether that's our bodies, our relationships, or our sanity.

But what if we viewed life like an effective training program instead?

Every good program includes intense periods (pushes), recovery phases (pulls), and maintenance periods (coasts). This isn't weakness—it's strategy.

When you're always redlining in training, injury becomes inevitable. When you're always redlining in life, burnout becomes your constant companion.

The most successful people aren't those who push the hardest 24/7—they're the ones who understand when to push, when to pull back, and when to coast. They treat these shifts not as switches but as dials, adjusting intensity without ever fully turning off.

Like a powerlifter who knows exactly when to summon that primal energy and when to conserve it, we need to develop this same awareness in our everyday lives.

For some, like competitive athletes, the rigid structure of contest prep creates an anchor point that organizes everything else. For others, movement becomes the daily ritual that creates order amid chaos. The extra workload, counterintuitively, brings greater productivity to other areas of life.

Practical Takeaways:

1. Set clear timelines for your "push" periods. Know exactly when you'll dial back, and honour that commitment.

2. Find activities within your push periods that actually fill your cup rather than draining it.

3. Use physical detachment, such as travel or changing environments, to create mental space, even during busy times.

4. Recognize which season you're in—push, pull, or coast—and adjust expectations accordingly. This one is so so so important!

5. Create "anchors" in your routine that force organization and structure, even during chaotic periods.

The art isn't in avoiding intensity—it's in knowing when to embrace it, when to release it, and how to find your sustainable rhythm in between.

If you're ready to stop living in constant overdrive and start building a rhythm that actually supports your goals—and your life—we're here to help. Book a call with me or one of our coaches at www.mastersathic.com. Together, we'll help you map out your personal blueprint for when to push, when to pull back, and how to thrive in every season.

Stay Strong,

Paul Oneid, MS. MS. CSCS

Founder and Head Coach